Biomedicine & pharmaceuticals

Virotherapy for cancer

Discovered by Latvian immunologist Aina Muceniece in the 1950s, virotherapy is now a globally recognized treatment for various types of cancer. This innovative treatment uses a virus to find and destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

Rimantadine and mildronate

Two of Latvia's most-exported medications. Mildronate is a cardioprotective drug that is widely used in the treatment of angina and heart failure. Whereas rimantadine is a powerful antiviral, anti-flu, and anti-encephalitis drug; in 2021, it was approved for the treatment of COVID-19 patients as it could help prevent mortality.

Belinostat

Developed by researchers at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Belinostat is an active anti-cancer drug. In 2014, it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical medical use for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Foundation for Lyme disease vaccine

In 2017, for the first time ever, scientists at the Latvian Biomedical Research & Study Centre calculated the structure of the MS2 virus. This may serve as a basis for the development of a vaccine against Lyme disease, which globally affects nearly 15% of people.

Development of organs-on-a-chip

Teaming up with researchers of the University of Latvia's Laboratory of Micro and Nanodevices and Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, biotechnology startup Cellbox Labs is developing organs-on-a-chip – miniature replicas of organs outside the human body. The new technology could help pharmaceutical companies test new drugs more efficiently.